Westside Neighborhood Prosperity Fund

Program Overview

WE BELIEVE … that catalytic, positive neighborhood transformation of Atlanta’s historic Westside communities is possible through strategic funding investments, leveraging additional resources to the Westside, building community and political will to address systemic issues of poverty and disinvestment, and ensuring that neighborhood transformation benefits all, especially long-time residents.

Our collective vision is grounded in the history of the Westside and the aspirations of its long-standing residents, while also embracing how Atlanta is changing and evolving.

Investment Strategy

In 2013, upon signing the stadium deal, Arthur Blank made a $15M promise to investing in transformation of the Westside neighborhoods (English Avenue, Vine City and Castleberry Hill) adjacent to the stadium known as the Westside Neighborhood Prosperity Fund. In September of 2017, Arthur Blank, through the family foundation, committed an additional $15 million to the positive transformation efforts taking place in Atlanta’s historic Westside neighborhoods. Further, the Foundation has committed an additional $7M to Westside transformation from other Foundation program areas, lifting our total current Westside financial commitment to $37M.

Investments give preference to projects that:

Demonstrate an understanding of the overall needs of the neighborhoods;

WNPF Funds Expended Since 2014, by Category

Program Overview

Established in June 2014, Westside Works is a partnership between the Blank Foundation, Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA), Integrity Community Development Corporation (Integrity CDC), The Center for Working Families, and Per Scholas. Westside Works is a long-term initiative focused on creating employment opportunities and fostering job success through skills building for residents of Atlanta’s historic Westside communities. Westside Works provides access to the necessary services that foster job success – such as skills assessments, skills training, job readiness preparation, including interviewing. Training is currently offered in construction, nursing, IT culinary arts, and early childhood development.

To date, Westside Works has provided 450 Westside residents with living-wage jobs, earning nearly $12 million in wages for themselves and their families.